Essex · London and the South East
Storm damage roof report in Higham, Essex
Need a storm damage roof report in Higham? We can help, with a written report you can act on. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Gaps where slates or tiles have gone
- Loose or broken chimney pots and cowls
- Damage from fallen branches or debris
For landlords and managing agents
Shared roofs need a little more planning: we need access agreed with the building owner or managing agent. Mention it when you contact us and we will plan the survey around it.
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. Recommendations are set out by urgency where it matters.
How a storm damage roof report works in Higham
Our storm damage report starts from £150. You get a written report with photos by email. It does not price the repairs, so ask a roofer to quote for the work. Your insurer may also send its own loss adjuster. What you get is an independent record of the damage and what seems to have caused it. Typical surveys look at damaged flat roof membrane and cowls or aerials dislodged in the wind, on ridges and hips, chimney stacks and flat roofs.
Roofs in small places like Higham frequently stand in the open, so storms hit ridges, verges and chimneys hard. Damp in old stone, brick or timber walls is slow to dry out, which makes finding the cause quickly worthwhile. A written record also helps if you need to explain it to anyone else.
The report records the roof as we found it on the day. It’s useful right away, and a good reference for later.
- Where
- Higham (CO7)
- Region
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we look for on each type of roof
Slate roofs
Slates can slip or blow off in a storm, particularly where the nails have corroded. We record which slates have moved and any signs of older nail fatigue.
Lead flashings
Flashings can lift or pull away from walls and chimneys in strong winds. We record which are loose or damaged.
What we’re asked to look at in Higham
When you claim, your insurer may ask for evidence of the damage and its cause. A written report with photos gives you something clear to pass on. Your insurer still makes the decision.
Most people get in touch after spotting something like this:
- Damage from fallen branches or debris
- New damp or leaks inside
- Slates and tiles blown off the roof
- Loose or torn flashings
Landlords with a home close to Manningtree station may find that tracing a leak quickly matters when a tenant is living with it.
Before you book anyone
- Will the report include photos?
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- How soon the report will arrive
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
Higham questions
Do you cover smaller places like Higham?
Yes, Higham is covered. Our area covers London and the South East, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned ahead of time.
How do I find out if my home in Higham is listed?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Is wear and tear covered by insurance?
Most policies do not cover wear and tear. We note both storm damage and older defects, so you know what the roof shows. Your insurer decides how its policy applies.
Will you deal with the insurance company for me?
No. We write an independent report, and you decide how to use it. The insurer may send a loss adjuster of its own.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. We are experienced roof surveyors, and our survey covers the roof rather than the whole building. If you need a full building survey, you’ll need a RICS survey as well.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, if whoever owns or manages the building agrees access. We look at the parts we’re given access to.
What happens on the day
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. The inspection then takes about one to two hours for most homes, depending on how much of the roof was hit. Somewhere like Higham needs a little journey planning: tell us about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. The roof is looked at from the ground, from windows, from the loft where there is safe access and from the roof where it’s safe.
- You tell us what happened and whether a roofer has made the roof safe.
- Inside, we look for signs of water in the loft and rooms below.
- We view the roof from safe positions.
- We record fresh damage and older defects.
- You receive the written report with photos.
Preparing for the visit
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Tell us about parking before the day
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
How to book
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just ring 07833 053749 or send us an email when you’re ready.
Related advice
Places near Higham
What else we do in Higham
Why act early in Higham
Damage left open lets in more rain. Further water damage can blur what the storm actually did. A roofer should deal with emergency protection quickly. In a place like Higham, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
Why us?
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Drones and thermal imaging where applicable
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- An independent look at the roof
See how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
What we can’t see
No survey can tell you everything, and we’d rather be clear about that before you book. Keep these in mind:
- Repair costs or quotes for the work
- Whether your insurer will pay the claim
- Your insurer’s view of the claim
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll point you to the right survey. The full list of what we check.
What we look at
- Flashings
- Flat roofs
- Gutters and fascias
- Slate and tile slopes
- Chimney stacks
- Ridges and hips
Leaks and storm damage in Higham
Higham is within about 5 miles of the coast, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. In a coastal gale, rain is driven sideways into laps, verges and flashings, while salt slowly corrodes metal fixings and flashings. About 2.6 miles south-east lies Castle House, a reminder of how long the area around Higham has been built on. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
Take a building like Stratford St Mary Primary School: a leak through a large roof is frequently found some distance from where the water shows inside. The streets around a church like Church of St Mary are often among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, leaks on older roofs often start at lead flashings, valleys or around old chimney stacks.
Higham is about 7 miles north-east of Colchester, in Essex. We survey roofs in Higham and the surrounding area across London and South East England. Higham is one of the towns and villages in Essex where we work for storm damage roof reports. There is also a page for Chelmsford.
Here we cover the CO7 postcode area for storm damage roof reports. Other places close to Higham include Stratford St Mary (1 mile south-east), Thorington Street (1 mile west), Holton St Mary (2 miles north-east), Withermarsh Green (2 miles north-west) and Dedham (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Colchester (7 miles south-west), Clacton-on-Sea (15 miles south-east), Harwich (13 miles east), Camulodunum (8 miles south-west), Halstead (14 miles west) and Greenstead (6 miles south).
What’s near Higham
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Swan Inn, among other places. The closest station to Higham is Manningtree station, roughly 4.2 miles south-east. Other landmarks nearby include Severalls Hospital (5.2 miles south-west) and Little Wenham Castle (3.6 miles north-east). The countryside around Higham includes Cattawade Marshes.